Ashi Mahou
by MarcusWolf828
Summary: Hotohori sufferes a relapse of Netsubyo - or is it something else? Sequal to Fan fic, Netsubyo.
1. Denial

HEY! I'm posting the whole thing! surprize!  
  
Although it's been overdue for some time, i'm posting Ashi Mahou in Chapters now,  
  
so that you don't run away when you see it's a long fic. jaa.  
  
Disclaimer - I don't own Fushigi Yuugi it's all the property of the genius Watase Yuu.   
  
DON'T SUE ME.  
  
by the way - I know "Ashi Mahou" *could* mean "leg magic" but according to the   
  
dictionary server I use, "ashi" is one of the many words for "evil" I didn't   
  
know it also ment "leg" at the time.  
  
Ashi Mahou: (Evil Magic) A Fushigi Yuugi fan fiction by Mary Ellen Boyko  
  
Rated PG-13 for violence/blood content.  
  
Timeline: AU. Takes place after FY fan fic Netsubyo.   
  
Ashi Mahou  
  
"...but on the other hand, if we spread our troops too thin..."   
  
Hotohori was growing weary of hearing the same thing, over and over again,   
  
in different words, by different people.   
  
It had been a particularly bad time for a council meeting, but there was   
  
nothing the young emperor could do about it now. Despite severe fatigue   
  
and a headache, he had agreed to attend. Only now, was Hotohori admitting to   
  
himself that it was a bad idea.   
  
*If I could just lay down for a few minutes...*  
  
"Your Highness?"  
  
Hotohori's eyes snapped open at the sound of his main advisor, Takeshi, calling him.  
  
"Yes? What is it?" the emperor said, trying to pretend he had been paying   
  
attention the whole time.   
  
"Highness, you seem distracted. Are you alright?" Takeshi asked.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine, Takeshi." Hotohori sighed. "I'm just tired. I'd   
  
like to retire early tonight, if the council has nothing new to discuss."   
  
He couldn't miss the opportunity to get out of there.   
  
Takeshi nodded. "Of course, Heika-sama. You look like you could use some rest."   
  
"Thank you. Goodnight," Hotohori said as he stood up.   
  
The council bowed in unison. "Goodnight, Your Majesty," they said.   
  
The emperor left the room, closed the sliding door behind him, and stepped out   
  
in to the summer evening air.   
  
The servants were all inside, preparing for supper, so for once, Hotohori   
  
could walk alone.   
  
Ever since they had gotten back from Hokkan country, the emperor had been   
  
hip-deep in work to do.   
  
After Hotohori and his friends recovered from the Netsubyo, Mitsukake thought   
  
it would be a good idea to come back to the palace and rest. Saying that it   
  
would be better for the emperor in particular, because he was weakened much   
  
more by the disease than the others.   
  
Now, after a week back at the palace, the other seishi were preparing to go   
  
back to Hokkan country, and once again search for the Shinzaho. However, when   
  
the healer had told Hotohori's advisors that the emperor was susceptible to   
  
further illness, they insisted that he stay back.  
  
But Hotohori very much wanted to go with his miko.   
  
*It's ridiculous...even little Chiriko is going!* the emperor thought. *I don't   
  
need to stay behind, I'm perfectly fine now!*  
  
Or was he? The emperor felt suddenly dizzy, and grabbed on to the railing of   
  
the walkway to stay on his feet.  
  
*It's nothing...I'm fine...* Hotohori told himself.  
  
The emperor regained his balance and looked ahead to see how close he was   
  
too his room.   
  
*Not far now...I'll be fine...this is all because of a little stress, that's all*  
  
Hotohori walked to the south entrance of his chambers with little difficulty from   
  
then on, and the night guards greeted him as he approached.  
  
"Good evening, Your Majesty," They said, kneeling.  
  
Hotohori nodded. "Good evening. I'm going to sleep early tonight. Please do not let   
  
anyone disturb me unless it's an emergency." All he wanted to do was sleep.   
  
"Yes, Your Majesty!" the guards replied enthusiastically, loud enough to cause the   
  
emperor to take full notice of his headache.   
  
The guards opened the doors to the imperial bedroom, and Hotohori entered his   
  
private chambers.  
  
Someone, probably a servant, had taken the liberty of lighting the lamps in the   
  
emperor's room, and in their light, Hotohori could see that the bed was already   
  
turned down, and his bedclothes were laid out for him.   
  
*This is probably Takeshi's doing.* The emperor thought.   
  
Takeshi was always looking out for Hotohori's well-being. The older man had   
  
probably called a servant quickly after the emperor had left the council room.   
  
In any event, Hotohori had no idea where they kept his nightclothes, or how to   
  
light the lamps, so he was grateful he did not have to summon a servant now.   
  
The quicker he could get into that bed, the better.   
  
Hotohori sat down on the large imperial bed and began to change his clothes.   
  
He couldn't quite bring himself to call it his bed because, before he was born,   
  
and after he would die, the bed belonged to someone else.   
  
Even though his mother was not the empress, It was possible that Hotohori, himself,   
  
was conceived in this bed. The thought disturbed him. Sharing the same bed with   
  
three previous emperors and their consorts, and who knows how many more to come.   
  
*More to come…*  
  
Yes, that was another thing that the emperor had to take care of. The issue of an   
  
heir weighed heavily on his advisors' minds.  
  
But Hotohori didn't want to think about that right now. He didn't want to have to   
  
think of anything right now, except sleeping.   
  
Hotohori thought it was strange that he felt so tired. He didn't remember exerting   
  
himself anytime during the day, but sometime after lunch, he developed a pounding   
  
headache and a general feeling of malaise.  
  
  
  
*Surely, I'm not becoming ill…*  
  
Hotohori pushed the thought out of his mind. He was not sick. He refused to be.   
  
The emperor had had enough of that, and besides, he had to prove to Mitsukake and   
  
his advisors that he was perfectly fit to go back into the frigid weather of Hokkan   
  
country the day after tomorrow.  
  
*I'll be fine. If I just rest tonight, I'll be fine tomorrow.* The emperor told himself.  
  
Hotohori stood up to put out the lanterns, but found they were too high for him to reach.  
  
*This is just what I need. I'd better call a servant a suppose.*  
  
The emperor, now in his nightclothes, walked over to the door and opened it to be   
  
greeted by the two guards once again.   
  
"Good evening, Your Majesty!" was their anticipated response.   
  
Hotohori skipped the formalities. Maybe one of them could solve his problem.  
  
"Do either of you know how to put out the lanterns?" he asked.  
  
One of the soldiers spoke up. "Yes, Highness"   
  
Hotohori waited a moment and then said, "Well, don't just kneel there, put them   
  
out for me, please."  
  
The guard appeared nervous, but stood up to do the emperor's bidding. "Yes, Highness."  
  
The armored man walked down the long hall and entered the emperor's bedchamber   
  
with a sense of awe, then walked to the closet where he pulled out a contraption   
  
with a long handle, with a candle snuff at the end. The guard then walked to each   
  
of the lanterns, snuffing out the candles, and soon the room was dark.  
  
"Thankyou." Hotohori said in the darkness.   
  
"Yes, Highness."  
  
Sometimes the emperor wondered if all the guards could say, were "Good Evening" and   
  
"Yes, Highness." Of course, "Good Morning" and "Good Afternoon" were probably in there  
  
heads somewhere as well.  
  
But it didn't matter now. Hotohori was finally able to get some sleep, so, after   
  
the guard left, he crawled under the silk sheets of the bed in the darkness, and lay down.   
  
*Finally...*  
  
*******  
  
By the lake outside the palace grounds, Tasuki sat staring at, a statue with   
  
blue hair and a mask.   
  
"You're just going to sit there?" Tasuki asked. He was met with no response.  
  
"And you're not going to talk to me either?" he queried again.  
  
Apparently, Chichiri was not in the mood for conversation.  
  
Tasuki was half amazed, half annoyed. "You know you've been &^%in' sittin' there   
  
for an hour now. Hasn't your butt fallen asleep yet?"   
  
It was another unanswered question.   
  
Originally Tasuki had accompanied Chichiri down to the lake because he wanted to   
  
get away from Miaka and Nuriko, who were being loud, obnoxious, and extremely girlie.   
  
Now, he realized that listening to the shrills of two girls... er, one girl and   
  
a gay guy, having fun talking about which of the male palace servants they   
  
thought were cute, was more entertaining than watching Chichiri stare at...  
  
a rock or something. Tasuki couldn't tell what his companion was really looking  
  
  
  
at through the mask.  
  
"Are you dead or something?" Tasuki asked. "You sure are still enough to be dead."  
  
"I'm not dead, no da."  
  
"He speaks!" Tasuki exclaimed. "What were you being so quiet for?"  
  
Chichiri stood up and stretched. "I was meditating. I told you I would be, no da." He said.  
  
Tasuki rolled his eyes. "You meditated that whole &^%$in' time? Didn't you notice   
  
it was getting dark? We're gonna miss dinner!" he complained.  
  
Chichiri picked up his staff and headed toward the palace. "You could have left   
  
at any time no da." He said.  
  
Tasuki stood up and followed the monk down the path to the palace.   
  
"What were you thinking about all that time?" Tasuki asked.  
  
"Nothing." Chichiri said.   
  
"Nothing?! &^%$in' nothing?!"   
  
"Yes. Nothing, no da."  
  
"You know, if you needed something to think about I could've told ya! Like, geez...   
  
I don't know, the Shinzaho, maybe?! Or how 'bout summoning Suzaku?! Or Finding a   
  
way to prevent from Nakago kick our @$$es!" Tasuki's face was becoming as red   
  
as his hair.   
  
"Calm down, no da! Thinking about nothing is just as important as thinking about   
  
something." Chichiri said calmly.  
  
Tasuki threw his arms to the sky in desperation. "Ch, I just don't &^$%in' get you!   
  
I really don't!"  
  
Chichiri sighed. "You don't have to understand me, no da. You don't need to understand   
  
anybody else but yourself."  
  
Tasuki groaned. "SEE?! just like that! I don't know what you're &^%in' takin' about!   
  
Is there some sort of hidden meaning in that?"  
  
"Not really, no da."  
  
Tasuki was at the verge of pulling his hair out. "And what's with the &@#in' 'no da's?!"  
  
"Calm down, It's just my way, no da! Let's just go get something to eat, okay, no da?"  
  
Tasuki sighed. They were approaching the palace, and Tauski would rather calm   
  
down now, then get yelled at from Nuriko when they got to the dining room.  
  
He could try to figure out his monk friend later.  
  
*******  
  
"ITADAKIMASU!"  
  
"Miaka, not yet!" Nuriko scolded his miko from across the table.  
  
Miaka sighed. "But I'm hungry. When do we get to eat?" she asked.  
  
Nuriko reached over and took a pair chopsticks away from Miaka, as he was sure   
  
she would start to munch on them soon.  
  
"We have to wait for everybody to get here! It's impolite to start without them." he said.  
  
Most of the seishi were already gathered at the table, they were only waiting   
  
for Tasuki, Chichiri, and Hotohori.  
  
"It'll take forever! I, as the miko, declare it's okay to start dinner without - "  
  
Miaka was cut off when Tasuki and Chichiri walked in to dining room.  
  
"We're heeeeeere!"  
  
"Sorry we're late, no da!"  
  
Miaka grabbed her chopsticks from Nuriko's hands.  
  
"Great! Itadakima - "  
  
"MIAKA, NOT EVERYONE IS HERE YET!" Nuriko shouted.  
  
"His Highness will not be joining you for dinner this evening."   
  
Miaka and Nuriko turned to see the location of the voice that had just spoke.   
  
It was Takeshi, the main advisor to the emperor.  
  
"Pardon me?" Nuriko asked.  
  
Takeshi bowed to Miaka, then turned to Nuriko. "His Highness wished to retire   
  
early tonight. He is sorry he could not join you for dinner." He said.  
  
Mitsukake, who had overheard, became concerned. "Is he all right? Does he need   
  
my services?" he asked.  
  
Nuriko was also listening intently.  
  
"Heika assured me that it was only fatigue, but I shall call on you if it   
  
should be anything else." Takeshi said.  
  
"Does that mean I get to eat now?" Miaka asked.   
  
Nuriko sighed. "Hai, Mia-"  
  
"ITADAKIMAAAAAAAASU!"   
  
*******  
  
Please R&R! ^_^v 


	2. Not Again

The Seiryuu no Miko was roaming the grounds of the camp. 

The healer Mitsukake, from the Suzaku seishi, had passed by, about a two weeks ago, to heal Suboshi and Nakago,   
who had become ill from the Netsubyo.   


Yui knew that Miaka must have ordered him to do so. The Priestess thought her former friend was an idiot, to say the least.   
Healing your enemy's seishi was obviously a poor tactical move.   


However, Yui welcomed the "dumb" luck, and was glad that her seishi were once again fit to travel through the ice and snow. 

As she approached Nakago's tent, Yui prepared herself to discuss the subject at hand; the Shinzaho.   


"Nakago? May I come in?" She called through the flap of the tent. 

"Yes, Lady Yui." The Shogun called back.   


Yui entered the tent to find Tomo inside, discussing something with nakago. He was apparently happy with what was going on.   
*But hadn't Tomo left the camp?* Yui thought.   
Suddenly, the image she had thought was Tomo, disappeared before her eyes.   


*One of his illusions…* She realized. 

Nakago turned to his Miko after "Tomo" left. 

"Nakago, How was he…?" Yui began to ask.   


"It was an illusion. While Tomo is away, he can send an illusion of himself to give a message." Nakago explained. 

"But it seemed so real." Yui said. 

Nakago laughed softly. "Yes, real indeed…Tomo's illusions can be deadly." He said. 

Yui sensed something was up. "What is that supposed to mean?" She questioned her seishi. 

"Nothing. I was simply commenting on the extent of his sorcery." The shogun replied with a slight smile. 

"Is that all?" Yui asked again. She knew that Nakago liked to deploy plans behind his Priestess' back. 

"Of course, Lady Yui." Nakago said flatly.   


Yui sighed. Something was not right. She could feel it.   


*******   


"Hey, Jouru, what do you think's gonna happen if we get into a war with Kutou?" Mukari asked.   


Early in the morning, outside the emperor's bedchamber, the two guards conversed softly.   


"Shh! You want to wake 'im up?" Jouru warned. 

"Hey, it's all right! I've been in there, there's like, six or seven walls between here and the bed. He can't hear us." Mukari said. 

"I don't know, if he wakes up too early, he might be mad…" 

"Don't worry about it. Anyway, what would happen if Kutou attacked? I've got a wife and family…" Mukari commented. 

Jouru shrugged. "I don't think they'd send us. We're palace guards, I don't think we'll ever see any action." 

"Yeah, well I don't - wait, do you hear that?" Mukari had heard a noise coming from inside the emperor's bedchamber. 

"Yeah, I hear it… like soft moaning…" Jouru added.   


As the guards listened, a dull thud was heard, and that moaning became a cry of pain.   


Mukari and Jouru looked at each other with a sudden realization.   


"The emperor is under attack!" Jouru shouted. 

" 'won't see any action' you said!" Mukari commented as they ran down the long hallway. 

"Shut up! This is important!"   


When the guards reached the emperor's room, however, they were not faced with dozens of men; only one. 

"Highness!" Mukari shouted.   


Hotohori was curled up on the floor, shivering and obviously in pain.   
Mukari kneeled down at the emperor's side. "Your Highness! Are you all right?!" he asked. 

The emperor coughed slightly and relaxed some, but did not respond. 

Jouru could only stand there and watch. *Suzaku, no, not on my shift…they never trained us for this!* 

Mukari began to panic. "Jouru, go get Takeshi! NOW!"   


"On my way!" Jouru said as he ran out of the room. 

Mukashi gently picked up the emperor's limp form and placed him back on the bed.   


*What could have happened? Is he sick?…* Mukari asked himself. *Dumb question, Mukari…* The state of the emperor's   
health was obvious.   


The guard recalled hearing someone say that the emperor had been ill in Hokkan country, but he assumed that since the   
seishi Mitsukake had healed him, he was fine now.   


Light from the sun rising seeped through the windows, and Mukari could now see Hotohori's form clearly.   


Mukari repressed the desire to reach out a hand to the emperor's forehead. His hands were coarse and rough like a   
working man's, and not fit to touch the royal skin.   


Just then, footsteps could be heard running toward the bedroom, and Mukari backed away from the bed, as if   
to appear innocent from a crime.   


"Where is he?" Takeshi asked. The advisor appeared disheveled, obviously his clothes were thrown on in haste.   


Mukari pointed to the bed where the emperor lay, and Takeshi turned to kneel down next to the emperor.   


"Highness, what's wrong?" he asked softly. 

Hotohori opened his eyes slowly, and tried to speak, but no sound emerged. 

"Higness are you all right?" Takeshi asked louder. 

Hotohori cleared his throat, then attempted to speak again. "No...I'm not..." he whispered. 

*Mitsukake had warned that this might happen…*   


Takeshi turned to the guards behind him. "Find Suzaku Seishi Mitsukake, quickly!" 


	3. Missing Powers, Missing Seishi

Nuriko entered the dining room, expecting to be alone. It was still very early in the morning, but somehow,   
Tasuki and Chichiri had also made their way here. 

"So, you're awake too, no da?" Chichiri asked. 

"Hai," Nuriko said. "I woke up early, I guess…" 

Tasuki was in the corner, by the fireplace, fiddling with his tessen. "You didn't happen to just wake up suddenly did ya?   
Like something wasn't right?" the bandit asked. 

Nuriko raised his eyebrows. *How could he know…?*   
"I did feel like something was wrong somehow. Why?" he asked. 

Tasuki sighed. "Yeah, right? hey, can I ask you a favor?" 

Nuriko shrugged. "Sure, Tasuki-chan." 

Tasuki returned his tessen to it's holder on his back, and stood up.   
"Lift me up!" he said. "I bet you can't do it!" 

Nuriko laughed. With his power of super-human strength, it would be a piece of cake.   
"All right, Tasuki, but you're gonna lose that bet." 

Nuriko positioned himself to sling the other seishi over his shoulder, and began to lift.   
However, Tasuki wouldn't budge. 

"hey, uh, Tasuki-chan… you haven't gained any weight have you?" Nuriko asked. 

"Nope." Tasuki replied. "Can't lift me can ya?" 

Nuriko stepped back and looked Tasuki over for any special equipment he might be using to pull a practical joke. 

"I…I can't lift you! How'd you do it?" Nuriko asked, amazed. 

"You can't lift anything heavy, no da." Chichiri piped in. 

"That's silly, of course I can…" 

Nuriko walked over to the large dining table in the middle of the room, and placed his hands around the sides,   
but the table was not being any more cooperative than Tasuki was. 

"Stop before ya hurt yourself, it's not gonna work." Tasuki said. 

Nuriko reluctantly gave up and turned to the other seishi. "I don't understand. What's happening?" He asked. 

Tasuki took out his tessen again. "We don't know, but watch this…" 

"LEKKA…" 

"Stop! Don't do it! You'll light the palace on fire!" Nuriko shouted. 

"SHINEN!" 

Nuriko stepped back and covered his face, expecting a blast of flame to shoot forth from the iron fan….but nothing happened. 

"What the hell is going on!" Nuriko exclaimed. 

Chichiri shrugged. "We don't know, no da." 

Chichiri was about to explain further, but the sliding doors were suddenly thrown open, and a palace guard entered the dining room. 

The soldier kneeled. "I must find Suzaku Seishi Mitsukake. Do you know where he is?" he asked. 

"No I don't. What's going on?" Nuriko asked. 

"The Emperor has become suddenly ill. Takeshi instructed me to find the healer Mitsukake." The guard replied hastily. 

Nuriko's heart sank. "What happened? he asked. 

The guard stood up. "I'm sorry, I don't know. Another guard and I found him on the floor early this morning." 

*No...no way…this isn't happening again…* 

"If we find Mitsukake we'll tell you right away." Nuriko told the soldier. 

"Hai." The soldier bowed and left. 

"Sh*t! That guy never catches a break!" Tasuki exclaimed. 

Nuriko walked over to Chichiri and grabbed his arm. 

"What are you doing, no da?" the monk asked, trying to release himself from the other man's grasp. 

"C'mon! If Mitsukake's not around, you have to help! Use your magic or something!" Nuriko demanded. 

Chichiri shook his head. "My magic doesn't work no da! None of our powers do!" 

Nuriko let go of the other seishi's arm. That's right… our powers aren't working… 

"But… what can we do then?" Nuriko's eyes were pleading with Chichiri. 

The monk sighed. "I suppose I could try again, no da." He said. 

"Thank you so much, Chichiri!" Nuriko said. "It's this way…" 

"Wait up! I'm comin' with ya!" Tasuki shouted as he saw them leave the room. 

Nuriko led Chichiri and Tasuki onto the walkway, and the two seishi followed until they reached the imperial bed chambers. 

There was a guard outside the south entrance who stopped them before they could enter. 

"Halt! No one is allowed in there." He said. 

It was Tasuki who spoke first.   
"Well we %^$#in' are! Because we're Suzaku seishi, and we %&^&in' wanna know what's going on with our buddy!" 

Just then, Takeshi could be seen walking up to them from the bedroom. 

"That's all right," he told the guard. "You can let them in." 

The guard stepped to the side, allowing the three seishi to enter. 

Takeshi started to take them to the last of the chambers, where they would find Hotohori. 

"Thank you for coming. I don't know what's wrong…" 

As the seishi walked into the emperor's bed chamber, they beheld the sight of the pale and sickly version of Hotohori.   
The side of him they had hoped never to see again. 

"Sh*t…" Tasuki muttered as he walked to the ill man's side. Nuriko and Chichiri were not far behind. 

"Hotohori-sama…what's wrong?" Nuriko asked Hotohori. 

Hotohori opened his eyes, but still seemed disoriented. 

"Hotohori-sama…" Nuriko whispered. 

Tasuki reached out a hand and touched the emperor's cheek. 

"Hey, he's real hot. Get a wet cloth." He told Takeshi. 

The bandit turned his attention back to Hotohori. 

"Hey, buddy, speak to me. What's the matter?" he asked softly. 

"...I think…" the emperor began weakly. "…I'm not...feeling very well…" 

Tasuki almost smiled. "Yeah, buddy, we know you're feeling well. We're working on fixing that.." He said. 

"Heika, what's wrong? How do you feel?" Nuriko asked, trying to get more information. 

The emperor coughed slightly and then responded. "…It hurts…like someone…has put a….a….a vice on my entire body!"   
Hotohori suddenly gasped and expelled a fit of coughs. 

"Shh… Heika, calm down… you'll work yourself up…" 

Nuriko turned to Chichiri, who was in back of him. "Chichiri, he's in pain…can you do anything to help?" he asked the monk. 

Chichiri shook his head. "I don't know what I can do. He really needs Mitsukake - I don't even know what's wrong." 

Nuriko stood up from the emperor's side. 

"Didn't those Nyan-nyans teach you anything?" Nuriko asked, hopefully. 

The monk shook his head. "All my training was from Taisukun, no da, not the Nyan-nyans." 

Nuriko sighed. This is not what he, or any of them needed. 

"Sh*t!" Tasuki exclaimed just as Takeshi walked in with the basin and cloth. 

"Uh, sorry…" Tasuki apologized sheepishly. 

"That's all right, Tasuki-sama. I understand how you feel." Takeshi said. 

"In fact," He added "If it not for my palace training, I might say the same thing." 

The room remained silent for a few minutes until Chichiri broke the silence. 

"…that disturbs me…" he began to say. 

"what disturbs you, Chichiri?" Nuriko asked. 

"I can't feel Heika's ki. I should be able too, unless he's dead, but it's obvious he's not dead, no da." 

"Not yet, anyway…" Tasuki muttered. 

Nuriko cast him a glance. "Don't say such things!" he scolded. 

"Hey, question: why the &^%$ is Mitsukake never %$#@in' around when you need him?!" Tasuki was becoming more and more agitated. 

"Tasuki-kun, Calm down, please. Even if Mitsukake were here, chances are, his powers don't work either.   
It doesn't matter right now, no da," Chichiri told the bandit. 

"But I suppose, that having Mitsukake around, as a doctor might help, no da." Chichiri quickly added. 

Nuriko, hearing the monk's words, immediately volunteered to find the missing seishi. 

"I'll find him," he said. "he's probably in the city. He likes to go shopping for supplies early in the morning." 

Chichiri nodded without looking in Nuriko's direction. "Hai."   



	4. Chichiue Father

After Nuriko left, Tasuki took a chair from the corner of the room, and sat next to Chichiri. 

Takeshi was still at the emperor's side, trying to bring his fever down with the wet cloth. 

"This s*cks." Tasuki muttered. 

"It does, no da." 

Tasuki was a bit surprised by the monk's response. Usually Chichiri would be the first one to give encouragement.   
Perhaps Tasuki was expecting an answer like "We'll manage, no da," or "Think positive, no da."   
It felt a bit awkward to have Chichiri voice agreement in a negative situation. 

The red-haired youth flung his arms behind his head, and forced a smile.   
"Well, at least he's not puking this time!" Tasuki's feigned humor was met with no response from Chichiri,   
and only a quizzical glance from the emperor's advisor. 

"C'mon!" he said, slapping Chichiri on the back. "Laugh a little, it's a joke!" 

"Gomen, Tasuki. I…I'm not in the mood for jokes right now." 

Tasuki sat back in his seat, discouraged that he was not able to break the mood in the room.   
*Jeez…what the ^%$ am I supposed to do? If only- * 

Tasuki's thoughts were interrupted when he heard Hotohori trying to speak 

"Heika! Doushita?" Takeshi immediately asked. 

"…ch….chich…" 

The monk leaned closer to Hotohori, assuming that the emperor was asking for him.   
"Yes your highness, I'm here." 

"Chichi….Chichiue…" 

The monk sat back in the chair, and looked at the others.   
It was so strange, what the emperor had said. 

*He's calling out to his father…*   
  


Nuriko was running. How odd it looked.   
Nuriko was most comfortable in women's clothing, and he had put on his favorite dress this morning. 

But nice women aren't supposed to run. 

As Nuriko raced down the main roads and side streets of Eiyo, he was met with stares from the local people.   
Men, women, and even some children turned their eyes in distaste at the running harem woman…out of the harem, no less! 

But Nuriko didn't care what people thought of him. He had to find Mitsukake.   
That was more important than the local mores. 

As Nuriko turned another corner, he saw the tall man sitting on the front steps of a house. 

A man and a woman, a married couple, apparently, were standing in front of him, and obviously distressed.   
As Nuriko drew nearer, he heard what they were shouting about. 

"….My son! Oh, Akira! It's your fault…you….you fake! You impostor!…." 

Mitsukake only sat there and took the verbal beating. 

"Stop it! What are you accusing him of?!" Nuriko shouted as he approached. 

"This is none of your bussiness!" The man shouted back. "Go back to the harem, where you belong!" 

*This was the wrong day to wear a dress…* 

"Please listen!" Nuriko pleaded. 

"SHUT UP!" 

Without warning, the man rushed up and grabbed Nuriko by the arm and threw him to the ground. 

Nuriko lay there, stunned. That's right…I don't have my power… he realized. 

"HEY! What the &^% are you doin'?" A familiar voice called. 

Nuriko sat up looked down the road.   
"Tasuki-chan." Nuriko whispered to himself. 

Yes, the bandit was walking down the path toward him. 

"I said, 'what the $%^# are you doin'?" Tasuki asked the man again. 

"I'm teaching this glorified harlot to stay out of other people's business!" the man said coldly. 

*'Glorified harlot!' just who does he think he is? *   
Nuriko stood and brushed whatever dirt he could off his dress. 

"For your information, harem women are property of the Emperor!   
I could have you punished for debasing Imperial property!" the seishi said, defensively. 

The man crossed his arms. "Is that so?" he said. "Well, aren't harem women beheaded for being seen outside the harem?" 

Nuriko was at a loss for words. "Well…um…that is…uh…" 

"Quit while you're a head, Nuriko." The bandit whispered to his friend. 

Tasuki turned again to the man. "Listen, just what's the problem? Why are you beating on hi- uh, her, and yellin' at Mitsukake?" he asked. 

Before the man could speak, his wife pushed him aside. "This man is a fake!" she shouted, pointing to Mitsukake.   
"He said he could heal my son! But Akira is dead! He gave us false hope! Oh…Akira…" 

Tasuki sighed. "He didn't mean to. Just leave 'im to me. I'll um… give 'im thirty lashes or something. Just leave 'im alone now." 

The man stared at the red-haired bandit and was about to say something, but his wife stopped him. 

"Forget it, Karaki…it won't bring Akira back." She said, clinging to his shoulder. 

At his wife's suggestion, the man backed up and walked away with her, giving Tasuki a final sneer before he left. 

Tasuki extended an hand to help Nuriko up, then turned to Mitsukake.   
"Hey, Mitsukake, you okay?" he asked. 

The healer looked up slowly to reveal streams of tears flowing from his eyes. "What's the matter?" Nuriko asked. 

"I…I wasn't….I couldn't…." Mitsukake couldn't speak. 

"hey, that's all right. It's not your fault. We can't use our powers either." Nuriko said softly, placing a hand on the tall man's shoulder. 

"I didn't realize…I didn't know I couldn't use my power…" the healer said. 

"That's okay. You didn't know." Tasuki said. "But, Mitsukake, we need you back at the palace. We should hurry." 

The healer stood up and suddenly regained his composure. "What happened? Is someone hurt?" he asked. 

Nuriko shook his head. "No one's hurt. It's Hotohori. He's not doing well." 

Mitsukake's eyes widened. "the Netsubyo?" 

"We don't know." Tasuki said. "What ever it is it's &^%in' bad." 

The healer sighed. "But…I can't do anything. Even if my healing power weren't gone, it would have been used today…I'll be of no use." 

"Baka da yo!" The bandit exclaimed. "You're still a doctor! You can do more than we can." 

"Tasuki is right! His highness needs you!" Nuriko affirmed. 

The tall man stood and thought for a moment, before finaly saying "Let's go."   
  


*Chichiue…Chichiue…* 

Even in his dreams, the Emperor of Konan was restless. 

*I know he's here…I saw him…* 

Hotohori ran thought the halls of the palace. Just a moment ago, he had seen a flash of Imperial robes, long black hair, and a crown, identical to his own.   
But the face…the face was much older. 

Hotohori only vaguely remembered his father's face, but what he saw fit the image in his mind. 

The young emperor didn't remember how he had come to be here, or why the halls were empty, but right now it didn't matter.   
His father was somewhere in the palace, and Hotohori longed to talk to the man he had not seen in four years.   
But wasn't he dead? 

Hotohori skidded to a halt. *But…Chichiue…is dead…* 

The emperor's heart pounded. *Chichiue is dead…? Am I…? * 

"You're not dead, Seishuku." 

*That voice…* 

Hotohori turned around abruptly, and saw a figure wrapped in shadows. 

"Chichiue! Is…is it really you?" he asked in awe. 

The figure stepped out into the light of the hallway. There was no mistaking who it was.   
"Yes, it's me." 

Hotohori rushed up to his father and embraced him tightly.   
"Chichiue…what's going on?" he asked. 

"Don't worry, Seishuku, you're not dead. This is only a dream…but, you'll see me soon…"   



End file.
